


The Girl Who Lived

by Telcontarian



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Best Friends, Childhood Friends, F/M, Force Dyad (Star Wars), Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Good Parent Han Solo, Good Parent Leia Organa, Hurt/Comfort, Magic is the Force, Rey Kenobi, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey is Not a Palpatine, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Soft Ben Solo, Young Ben Solo, Young Rey, ben solo is a good son
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:42:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25391809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Telcontarian/pseuds/Telcontarian
Summary: 11-year-old Rey was convinced that the universe was playing a monumental trick on her the day that she received her Hogwarts letter, but the prospect of leaving the foster system behind and leaving Plutt forever is too good to pass up.  When Hogwarts sends their representative in the form of Leia Organa, Rey begins to slowly unravel her past and soon finds herself immersed in a magical world where she discovers her true family and makes friends that she will never forget.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 34
Kudos: 92





	1. The Hogwarts Representative

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this on my mind for a little while and have finally gotten around to writing it. For the purpose of this fic, when Rey received her letter, she was expected to have known all about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry due to her grandfather having been Headmaster which is obviously not the case. I hope that you all enjoy it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moodboard by Me

The day that she received her Hogwarts letter, Rey was convinced that the universe was playing a monumental trick on her. The handsome barn owl that rapped smartly at her bedroom window had come as a massive shock to her; Rey had never even seen an owl before in her entire life, let alone in broad daylight. She glanced at the bird out of the corner of her eye where he stood on her bedside table ruffling his feathers indignantly and fixing her with a haughty stare.

She scowled down at the letter in her hands, her fingers ghosting over the embossed emblem and tracing over the letters written in emerald green ink on what could only be parchment.

_Dear Miss Kenobi,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31._

_Yours sincerely_

_Amilyn Holdo_

_Deputy Headmistress_

She smoothed out the second piece of parchment which dictated the extensive list of clothes, equipment and books that she required in order to attend. Her mind reeled as she struggled to make sense of the strange list: The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1); a wand; a pewter, standard size 2 cauldron; dragon hide gloves... Her brow furrowed further at the gentle reminder that first-years were not allowed their own broomstick. Even if Hogwarts was real, there was no possible way that Rey would be able to afford any of the necessary books and equipment. She did not even know where to buy them.

In the six years that she had stayed with her foster father, Unkar Plutt, Rey had never once realised that he could have the intelligence or the sense of humour to pull off such a practical joke. Then again… She glanced once more at the owl who had grown tired of her lack of response and was now helping himself to her corn flakes. What if this was not some sort of elaborate hoax? What if Hogwarts really did exist and there was a school of magic somewhere that could take her away from the hovel in which she lives, where she often went to bed with an empty belly because Plutt didn’t think that she had worked hard enough that day to deserve dinner.

What did she have to lose really?

Her mind made up, Rey tore a blank page from her homework jotter and hoped that Mrs Brown would not notice and grabbed a pen from her pencil case. With her tongue poking out from between her teeth, Rey scribbled out a reply:

_Dear Ms Holdo_

_Thank you for your letter. Unfortunately, I have never heard of Hogwarts and I don’t remember ever putting my name down for enrolment. If this is real, I would love to attend your school, but I don’t even know where it is let alone where to buy my equipment from. I don’t even have any money for books._

_Yours sincerely_

_Rey Kenobi_

She folded the letter neatly in two and carefully wrote Ms Holdo’s name on the front. She hesitated only briefly before giving it to the owl who clamped his beak around the paper, taking flight gracefully through the open window.

Rey sighed as she watched the owl depart to goodness knows where, shaking her head with the ridiculousness of the situation. She grabbed her school bag and stomped into her threadbare trainers, determined to go to the library and make a head start on her homework and avoid Plutt for the rest of the day. And if she just so happened to use a library computer to Google Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it couldn’t do any harm.

* * *

Over the next few days, Rey tried not to let her disappointment show. A quick Google search had revealed nothing about Hogwarts and the librarian who had humoured her request – albeit while looking slightly concerned – had not come up with a single piece of information either. She was forced to accept that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry did not exist. Rey threw herself into cleaning Plutt’s house from top to bottom, determined to make her living space look mildly presentable, puttering aimlessly through the junkyard and taking her frustration out on the battered and scrapped cars. She felt the tears prick at her eyes as she pushed her sweat soaked hair out of her eyes, breathing heavily. For one glorious hour, she finally thought that she was leaving Plutt’s, that her faceless parents had put her name down for this top secret, magical school and that she was finally going to be reunited with them. She kicked a stray stone out of her path as she made her way back inside to shower. After all, she had been living with Plutt longer now than she had ever lived with her parents. She deserved a break.

As she stood in the doorway to her bedroom towel drying her hair, she stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted the same barn owl from the week prior glaring reproachfully at her, obviously not content with being kept waiting. He held out a leg to her and Rey cautiously untied the attached roll of parchment, her eyes flickering nervously to the bird for fear of being attacked. Unlike his last visit, as soon as the parchment had been unrolled, the owl took off into the night without waiting for her reply.

_Dear Miss Kenobi,_

_Further to your last correspondence, a Hogwarts representative will call at your place of residence at 11am tomorrow morning._

_We look forward to welcoming you on September 1._

_Yours sincerely_

_Amilyn Holdo_

_Deputy Headmistress_

It was real. Hogwarts was real. And they were sending someone to her house – to Plutt’s house – tomorrow.

Rey shivered as an unnatural chill seemed to permeate her very being and she sank down onto the edge of her bed before her knees could give way from under her, her hands shaking slightly and the letter falling to the floor.

* * *

Rey paced anxiously in the small, grubby living room, grateful that Plutt was working at his garage and would not be around to greet her visitors. She felt nauseous as she glanced over her shoulder once more, peering nervously out of the newly cleaned window every few seconds. A shard of ice lodged itself deep in her stomach as she realised that she did not know what to expect from the ‘Hogwarts representative’. Would they look like a normal human being like her, or would they be seven feet tall and covered from head to toe in fur? She knew that she was letting her imagination run away with her as she took a deep breath in before exhaling slowly. She was being ridiculous; surely, they would have to blend in with normal society or else they would stick out like a sore thumb.

Her heart felt fit to burst out of her chest as she heard the unmistakable rumble of a car engine drawing closer and she ran to the window as a classic Ford Falcon came to a stop just outside of Plutt’s house as the clock on the mantelpiece struck 11am on the hour. An elegant lady stepped out of the car, beautifully dressed in a navy-blue dress strewn with tiny jewelled stars, her chestnut coloured hair braided into an elaborate crown. She looked up at the dilapidated house, her brow furrowed softly in confusion as she turned to exchange a few words with the man who had joined her, no less handsome in a worn, leather jacket, white shirt and denim combo. He too wore a look of concern and Rey blushed as he met her eye through the glass, throwing a casual wink in her direction before steering the woman towards the doorstep. 

Her fingers trembling, Rey unlocked the front door, cracking it open warily as she eyed the two strangers before opening it fully. They greeted her with encouraging smiles and Rey felt some of the tension leave her shoulders at how decidedly normal they appeared to be.

“You must be Rey,” said the man gruffly, extending a hand towards her and grasping her fingers in his own. “I’m Han and this is my wife, Leia.” Before she could reply, Han turned away from her and frowned before calling out, “Ben! Get out of the car and come and say hello to Rey.”

The rear passenger door opened and a boy around her age unfolded himself from the car. He was tall and lanky, Rey noted, with messy black hair that barely hid his large ears from view and beauty marks scattered across his face like constellations. He shuffled awkwardly towards them, slightly unsteady on his feet as if he had undergone a recent growth spurt and was still adjusting to his newfound height. His eyes met Rey and she managed a shy smile and waved at the newcomer, noting the small smile that she received in return that seemed to light up his whole face.

“This is our son, Ben,” said Leia gently, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder. He will be starting his first year at Hogwarts in September, like you. I know how scary it can be starting a new school, so we thought it would be nice if you knew someone beforehand.”

Rey nodded before she remembered her manners. “Would you like to come in?”

Rey sat awkwardly on Plutt’s favourite armchair, her fingers toying with the hem of her best skirt as she observed the family sitting on the sofa across from her. They had graciously accepted her offer of tea and Leia gave her an encouraging smile as she sipped from her chipped cup.

“I can imagine that this must have come as quite a shock to you, Rey,” she said, casting another look around Plutt’s home and sighing. “I imagine you must have several questions for us.”

“You can say that again,” she mumbled and her cheeks flushed crimson when Han chuckled and she realised that she had not spoken as quietly as she thought. “I thought that my foster father was playing a practical joke at first. I’ve never heard of Hogwarts before and I don’t remember putting my name down to attend. I went to the library to look it up on the internet and I couldn’t find any sign of it.”

“Your name has been down ever since you were born,” replied Leia, glancing briefly at her husband before turning back to Rey. “Your grandfather, Ben Kenobi, was one of the finest Headmasters that Hogwarts has ever seen. We knew your grandfather well; we even named our son after him.”

Rey drew in a deep breath, fighting back the tears that she knew were threatening to spill from her eyes. “I – I have a grandfather? What happened to him?”

Leia smiled sadly at her, but it was Han that answered Rey’s question: “I’m sorry, kid, he passed away some time ago.”

“A- and my parents?”

Leia grasped her husband’s hand, tears threatening to spill from her own eyes, “I’m sorry, Rey, they are no longer with us.”

She could barely breathe around the gaping hole that seemed to open in her heart. She gasped for air as she finally gave in to her tears, the family before her becoming blurred as her chest heaved with painful, choking sobs. She barely registered the press of the handkerchief into her hand before being enveloped in a warm embrace, a soothing hand running through the young girl’s hair as she cried out her pain. She was probably ruining Leia’s dress, but the older woman did not seem to mind as she murmured soft words of comfort and reassurance, allowing Rey to finally draw back and scrub at her face.

“Would you like me to tell you about Hogwarts?” asked Leia softly, smoothing back Rey’s hair with a motherly gesture that took the girl’s breath away and she nodded, too afraid to speak lest she start crying again.

“Hogwarts is a school of magic for young witches and wizards to learn to control their powers,” she began as she seated herself in between her husband and son once more. Both Han and Ben wore identical looks of discomfort, obviously unused to crying women as they glanced around the room to avoid meeting Rey’s eyes.

“Powers? You must be mistaken, I don’t have any magical powers.”

Leia smiled kindly at her. “Did you ever make anything happen? Anything you couldn’t explain when you were angry or scared?”

Rey opened her mouth to reply but fell silent, staring thoughtfully at the handkerchief in her hands. She was an easy target in school; forever being bullied for her too big, second-hand clothing or for living in a foster home. Unable to make friends, she often spent her breaks alone in a quiet corner of the school playground to avoid being detected. Unfortunately for Rey, she had been spotted one day and the bullies had given chase, only to find herself separated from them in a large field on the other side of the fence that marked the school’s boundary. She had been sent home that day for leaving the school grounds and Plutt had been furious, sending her to bed without dinner even though she could not explain how she had left school.

“Ben,” said Han, tearing his eyes away from Rey to focus on his son. “Why don’t you tell Rey all about Hogwarts?”

The tips of Ben’s ears burned crimson and he shifted nervously in his seat but to Rey’s surprised, he started speaking. “There are four Hogwarts Houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. When you arrive, you will be Sorted into your House. I’m hoping to become a Ravenclaw like mum.”

Leia beamed at Ben and ruffled his hair fondly. He scowled at her before patting it back into place. 

Rey watched the family interact, sadness gripping her chest at the thought of her own parents and grandfather that she would never know before she cleared her throat awkwardly and extracted the crumpled letter from her pocket, smoothing out the thick parchment. “The letter also said that I need to buy books and clothes for going to Hogwarts? I don’t have any money.”

“Your grandfather set aside a trust fund for you,” Leia replied. “You have a vault in Gringotts Wizards Bank in Diagon Alley which is also where you would buy your books and equipment.”

“As a matter of fact,” said Han, glancing at Leia, “We were planning on taking Ben there today if you would like to join us?”

Rey’s stared at him with wide eyes, missing the look of confusion that crossed Leia’s face before Han winked at his wife and Leia nodded in realisation. “You want me to go with you? Are you sure that’s okay?”

Leia beamed at her and placed her empty tea cup on the coffee table, getting to her feet as her husband and son followed suit before holding out a hand to Rey. “We would love it if you joined us.”

Rey glanced at Leia’s hand, hesitating before grasping it firmly and allowing herself to be pulled to her feet. She locked the door to Plutt’s home behind her, thanking Ben as he held open the car door for her and she buckled her seat belt as Han slid into the driver’s seat. “You’ll love Diagon Alley, Rey,” said Ben, adjusting his own seat belt as Han started the engine and pulled away from the kerb. 

Rey gave him a small smile, watching as Plutt’s house disappeared from view and she finally allowed herself to feel excited, wondering if such a magical place like Diagon Alley really did exist in London.


	2. Diagon Alley Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments and kudos so far! I hope that you all enjoy Chapter 2. Moodboard by me.

Rey stood in the middle of Charing Cross Road, frowning as she looked up at the run-down exterior of The Leaky Cauldron, her brow furrowed in confusion as she glanced up at Han and Leia. “Are you sure this is the right place?” she asked timidly, wondering how a magical place such as Diagon Alley could possibly be here in the heart of London. She realised with a start that they were the only ones looking at the pub; everyone else seemed to be walking past without sparing it a single glance, their eyes seeming to ghost right over the establishment as if it simply wasn’t there.

“It’s enchanted, Rey,” said Leia gently, steering the children towards the door, Han following in their wake. “If Muggles were to look at it they would be greeted with an empty shop.”

“What’s a Muggle?”

“It means non-magic folk,” answered Han. “Some witches and wizards can be Muggle-born like me, even though there has never been a single trace of magical ability in their family tree.”

Rey looked around curiously, her eyes adjusting to the gloomy and somewhat shabby interior. A mixture of small tables and long benches littered the floor and a handful of candles floated overhead as if by magic – which it probably was, she had to remind herself. The pub seemed to attract some rather unusual clientele: wizards in long, flowing robes smoked pipes which emitted a sweet-smelling, purple smoke while a group of people sat huddled together in the darkest corner under thick balaclavas. No one else seemed to be paying them any mind and Rey hurried after the family who seemed to be headed towards a door leading to a small alleyway before the group was interrupted by a shout from one of the tables.

“Leia!”

Rey froze as the chattering stopped instantly and what seemed like every single head turned in their direction. The barman continued to pour a frothy, golden beverage, not seeming to notice or even particularly care when the liquid spilled over his hand. Turning on her heel, Leia smiled as her eyes found a man with prematurely greying hair and bright, blue eyes waving at them, a red-haired woman at his side.

“A bit louder, Luke, I’m sure there were some people at the back who didn’t hear you,” said Han sternly although the side of his mouth curved upwards in a roguish smirk as hugs and kisses were exchanged and Rey felt slightly awkward, not used to such affection with no family to call her own. She sat next to Ben at the long bench, her nose wrinkling as the barman set four tankards in front of the new arrivals.

“On the house, Headmistress,” he said graciously with a wink at the children and Rey spluttered, her face tinged red in embarrassment. “H – Headmistress?” she squeaked and Leia smiled sheepishly as the occupants of the table chuckled and Rey knew instinctively that their laughter was not malicious. 

“Is this your first time in Diagon Alley?” asked the red-headed woman kindly and Rey nodded, her cheeks still warm.

“Rey, this is Leia’s brother Luke and his wife Mara,” said Han and they exchanged pleasantries and small-talk.

“What’s this?” she whispered to Ben leaning in towards the boy to ensure that her question could be heard over the hum as the pub seemed to return to normal once more.

“Butterbeer,” he replied taking a small sip as Han did the same, the older man’s eyes twinkling over the tankard as a frothy moustache formed on his upper lip and Rey giggled.

“Is there real alcohol in it?”

“Only a little bit, but not enough to get you drunk,” replied Ben. “I’ve had it loads of times. Try it and see if you like it.”

Butterbeer turned out to be the most delicious thing that Rey had ever tasted. She could feel the ice-cold liquid warm her insides as she swallowed and Han had to gently remind her not to drink so fast. She grinned at Ben who smiled lazily back at her and Rey hoped that they could be friends at Hogwarts even if they were Sorted into different Houses.

Ben had just started to tell her all the good and bad points of each House, the Butterbeer having loosened his tongue of any previous shyness when he was interrupted by Leia clearing her throat, trying to get Han’s attention while looking pointedly at Ben and Rey. Confusion flickered briefly across his face before his eyes widened in understanding. “Yes, Your Worshipfulness,” he said meekly but a hint of playfulness sparkled behind his eyes as he flashed her a cheeky grin and Ben rolled his eyes at his parents’ behaviour causing Rey to giggle. “We’d best let the grown-ups talk. Don’t suppose you kids fancy some ice cream, do you?” he asked, a hearty laugh escaping past his lips as Rey’s eyes shone with happiness at the prospect of ice cream.

They said their goodbyes, promising to meet up at Lor San Tekka’s wand shop after Han had taken Rey to Gringott’s and he pocketed the silver key that Leia slid across the table to him, making him promise not to lose it.

Han beckoned the children into the alleyway, leading them towards a brick wall before extracting a thin piece of wood from the inside pocket of his worn, leather jacket. Seeing Rey’s curious gaze, he held his wand out for her inspection. “Mahogany,” he said proudly. “Ten-and-a-quarter inches long with a dragon heart-string core. Chose me when I was eleven-years-old.” His eyes sparkled with mischief as he glanced over towards his son, “What brick is it again, Ben?”

He chuckled as Ben rolled his eyes at him, having undoubtedly been asked this question many times in the past. “Three up, two across, dad,” he replied dutifully.

Han tapped his wand across the bricks three times and Rey gasped as Diagon Alley unveiled itself before her very eyes. The high street was packed with adults and children alike, some in wizarding robes of every colour imaginable while some wore ordinary clothing to blend in with Muggle London. She only wished that she had several more pairs of eyes to take everything in; she could happily spend the rest of the year here and never get tired. If this is what her first glimpse of the magical world looked like she could not wait to unravel the mysteries that Hogwarts had to offer.

Han led them down the main street of Diagon Alley past Madam Kalonia’s Robes For All Occasions, an apothecary and Eeylops Owl Emporium. Rey wanted to stop and examine each store and lose herself in the pull to the Wizarding world that she could already feel weaving around her heart like a spell. She never wanted to leave. She grabbed Ben’s hand in her excitement, pulling him along with her to coo over the spellbooks, the potion ingredients and the owls of various sizes and colour that dozed in the window with their heads under their wing. She forgot that Ben had likely already seen everything a hundred times before, yet he indulged her with a bemused smile, only getting himself excited when he stopped to press his nose against the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies as he moaned in longing over the latest Firebolt Supreme racing broom. “First years aren’t allowed their own broomsticks,” he told Rey suddenly, scuffing a stone with his shoe as he glanced at his father from under his messy hair.

Han chuckled, clapping a hand on Ben’s shoulder as he peeled the children away from the Firebolt. “Neither myself nor your mother make the rules, you know that, Ben,” he said gently. “Just wait until next year and you can knock the other team out of the sky when you join your Quidditch House team."

“What’s Quidditch?” asked Rey innocently and Han groaned, clapping a hand over his face in mock exasperation as Ben’s eyes lit up and he prepared to tell Rey all about his favourite sport in the Wizarding world.

“Come on, kids,” he interrupted, pulling them along towards the dessert parlour. "You can tell Rey all about Quidditch over ice cream, Ben, or we will never get there!”

Fifteen minutes later, Ben and Rey sat side by side outside Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour as they tackled their mammoth peanut butter, ice cream sundaes. Han grimaced as he clutched a sensible cup of black coffee and hoped that he would not have to deal with their sugar high or nausea later and prayed that Leia would not kill him for letting the kids have too much sugar.

Rey swallowed around the mouthful of her dairy treat, tearing herself away from her ice cream long enough to look up at the older man. “Han,” she began hesitantly, “Can I ask you something?”

Han placed his coffee cup on the table and sat back on his chair before folding his arms across his chest. “Sure, kid.”

Rey toyed with the spoon in her hand, avoiding his gaze. “You said earlier that you were Muggle-born. Do you think that you made the right decision leaving the Muggle world behind and going to Hogwarts instead?”

“I grew up an orphan on the streets of Chicago. The streets were a harsh place to live and the winters were even worse. Back then, you did what you could to survive and eventually I lied, stole and swindled my way overseas in search of a better life. It turns out that it was probably my magic that kept me alive for so long, although I didn’t know it at the time. As I was born in America, I was given the choice of attending either Hogwarts or Ilvermorny –“

“That’s the American Wizarding school,” Ben added in an aside as Rey turned to him confused.

“There was nothing left for me in America. I came to Britain looking for a better life so I chose Hogwarts and I have never once regretted my decision. We’re survivors you and me, kid,” said Han thoughtfully, observing Rey over the rim of his cup, grimacing at the now cold coffee and Rey sucked in a breath, instinctively knowing that this must be what having a father is like. “And when times get hard, we do whatever we can to survive. But sometimes,” he leaned over the table to ruffle Ben’s hair fondly, laughing as he scowled and patted it carefully back into place to cover his too large ears. “Sometimes we just gotta be kids and let someone else take care of us for a change.”

* * *

An hour later Han, Rey and Ben stepped out into the sunshine once more. Rey’s mind was almost full to bursting with everything that had happened inside Gringott’s Bank: she had met the goblins who had appeared cold and withdrawn from the witches and wizards who used their services. She had ridden the cart deep underground in the dark, the wind whipping through her hair as she shrieked and hollered her delight alongside Ben and Han, the journey better than any rollercoaster ride that she had ever read about. And she had gaped at the small fortune of gold Galleons, silver Sickles and bronze Knuts that had awaited her in her grandfather’s vault. Tears pricked her eyes and she had fought not to throw herself into Han’s arms in gratitude at introducing her to this amazing world that she had never known existed. He had even helped her pile enough money into a small bag to purchase her books and equipment and then adding a little spending money over and above to spend on whatever she liked.

Having money for the first time in her life Rey itched not to spend it all at once although she idly wondered whether or not there was enough money in her vault to buy a Firebolt Supreme that she and Ben could take turns riding. The sign had read ‘price on request’ and she did not know the conversion rate of Wizarding currency to pound Sterling – she made a mental note to ask Han later – but Ben had told her that the broomstick was the Wizarding equivalent to owning a Ferrari or a Lamborghini. She quietly asked Ben what it was like to ride a broom and he had become excited as he filled her in, Rey nodding along dutifully while only understanding about half.

Rey smiled as they approached Lor San Tekka’s wand shop and she waved at Leia and Mara standing outside carrying two large cages which each held an owl. “This is an early birthday present for you, Ben,” said Han gruffly, throwing an arm around Ben’s shoulder and pulling his son towards him in a brief half embrace before Mara handed over the cage to her nephew with a fond smile. “I know it’s not for a while but I figured that I wouldn’t be able to see you that day, so –“

“Thanks, dad,” said Ben quietly, beaming at his father over his shoulder. “I think I’m gonna call him Kylo,” he said to Rey as she examined the large, black owl with great interest which she quickly learned was a Great Horned Owl according to Ben.

“You should never have let him watch those movies, Han,” said Leia in half-hearted exasperation and he chuckled in response.

“We can use him to keep in touch over the rest of the summer if you’d like?” continued Ben and Rey grinned as the tips of his ears turned red with embarrassment.

“I’d love to!”

Leia’s eyes met Han’s over the tops of the children’s heads and they shared a secret smile as Leia shifted the cage in her arms. “We figured that we had a lot of missed birthdays and Christmases to catch up on, Rey, so we thought that you might like an owl of your own?”

She pressed the cage into Rey’s arms and the girl glanced down at the smaller, female owl with gold and white plumage before staring mutely at Leia, her mouth slightly ajar as her brain struggled to process what she had just heard. “F – For me?”

Leia nodded encouragingly. “I hope you don’t mind but Mara and I took the liberty of picking out an owl that we thought you would like.”

“Leia told me that it was a barn owl that delivered your Hogwarts letter,” said Mara kindly and Rey nodded, swallowing around the lump of emotion that had lodged in her throat. “So, we chose a barn owl so that you would always remember that day.”

Unable to control herself any longer, Rey threw herself into Leia and Mara’s embrace, holding herself against them as best she could with the large cage between them. She cried tears of gratitude into Leia’s shoulder, whispering her thanks into the fine, navy-blue cloth and barely noticing when Leia conjured a handkerchief out of thin air before drying her eyes and smoothing her hair back from her tear-stained face once more. “What are you going to call her?” asked Leia gently.

She looked over towards Ben, glancing at his owl before meeting the boy’s eyes with a small smile. “Kira.”

“Oh, Merlin,” Leia groaned as Han dissolved into fits of laughter. “Not another Galaxy Wars fan.”


	3. Diagon Alley Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uploading this chapter today in honour of Harry Potter's birthday. I hope that you enjoy!
> 
> Moodboard by Me

The small bell rang as Rey stepped over the threshold to Lor San Tekka’s wand shop and she fought the urge not to sneeze. The shop was very old and dusty with a dark almost gloomy feel to it and Rey felt a shiver running down the column of her spine as goosepimples erupted over her arms. Towers of boxes littered almost every spare inch of space inside the ancient shop, spiralling from floor to ceiling in impossible dizzying heights. She was barely aware of Ben and his family at her back eager to be present for the momentous occasion when Ben and Rey chose their first wands. Han’s earlier words flitted through her mind as she tried to grasp onto the memory of dappled sunshine filtering through the canopy of Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour: Han had said that his wand had chosen him. She realised with a rising panic that she had never gotten the chance to ask him what he had meant. She really hoped that she wouldn’t be asked to perform a magic trick in front of Ben’s family – she did not think that her heart could deal with the humiliation if she failed and Han and Leia finally realised that they had made a mistake all along.

She was barely aware of Ben’s family managed to settle themselves in a clear space by the window, the large owl cages by their feet as Rey took a few steps into the musty shop with trembling legs. She shook her head slightly to try and erase the image of Han and Leia’s disappointment from her mind and examined the boxes more closely instead, running her fingers along the stacks in curiosity. She could almost feel the hum of magic that seemed to echo through the shop like a memory; a haunting imprint of the ghosts of thousands of eleven-year-old students eager to begin their Hogwarts adventure. It was a shrine she realised as a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, a shrine to the testament of the combined hopes and dreams of thousands of children who had come before her; who even now, seemed to be with her in spirit as they helped to guide her on the magical path set before her feet.

She jumped as a man who she could only presume was Lor San Tekka emerged from a small door leading to the back of the shop clothed in flowing, black robes. He brushed silently past her to greet Han and Leia who he seemed to already be acquainted with and smiled affectionately at Ben, clapping a hand on his shoulder before steering him towards the centre of the shop towards Rey. She twisted her hands together nervously as Lor San Tekka turned his piercing gaze on her and she fidgeted under his intense scrutiny. “You have your grandfather’s look about you,” he said at last and Rey’s eyes widened in shock.

“You knew my grandfather?”

San Tekka smiled kindly at her. “He was a very courageous man,” he replied as he extracted two measuring tapes from the pocket of his robes, his eyes sliding over to Leia who shook her head mutely. Rey frowned as Leia suddenly was suddenly unable to meet her eyes but she was distracted as San Tekka started to select various wands for the children to try, murmuring quietly to himself as het set the boxes on a nearby table. “That will do,” he said softly and Rey gasped at the realisation that the measuring tapes were moving of their own accord and were currently fixated on the distance between each of the children’s nostrils before clattering noisily to the floor. He extracted two wands at random before presenting them to Ben and Rey. “Cherrywood and unicorn hair, eleven-inches-long and willow and dragon heartstring for you, Miss Kenobi, eight inches.” He stared expectantly at the children as they took the proffered wands from him, glancing at one another before looking back up at San Tekka.

What he was waiting for Rey did not know, but he did not seem to find it before he reclaimed the wands and turned away to choose another selection. Han groaned impatiently before grunting in pain as Leia’s elbows connected with his ribs. “Sorry,” he muttered petulantly.

“Mr Solo, holly and dragon heartstring, nine-and-a-half inches long and ash and unicorn hair, ten-and-a-quarter inches.” However, the wands were snatched away from them once more and as time began to pass, it felt like Ben and Rey had held almost every wand that San Tekka had ever made and still the man seemed to be waiting for something. He turned to regard them curiously before carefully extracting the wands from their boxes and examining them for a long moment as they lay silently in the palms of their hands. “I wonder.”

He held the wands out to the two children and as Rey curled her fingers around the maple and phoenix feather, nine-and-a-quarter inch wand, a warmth seemed to resonate from her hand and into the wand she clutched within her grasp. Instinctively, she brought the wand to her shoulder, barely aware of Ben mirroring her actions by her side before both children brought them down in a shower of red and gold sparks. The reaction was instantaneous: Han cheered loudly, offering a smattering of applause for good measure and waking the sleeping owls who hooted indignantly. Leia and Mara rushed forward to embrace them while Leia planted kisses over every inch of Ben’s face that she could reach while he pushed her away half-heartedly, his face and the tips of his ears scarlet. San Tekka, however, was silent as he regarded the children, his gaze flickering from Ben to Rey and down to the wands that they still held in their hands. “Curious,” he murmured at long last, “A dyad. Such as one that has not been seen for centuries.”

Han frowned and opened his mouth to question the proprietor but Leia seemed to understand and quickly hushed her husband. “Twin wand cores.”

San Tekka nodded as he carefully took Ben and Rey’s wands and began to wrap them. “A tail feather shed from the same phoenix. From your phoenix as a matter of fact, Headmistress.” Leia gasped, her eyes wide as her hands covered her mouth. San Tekka’s eyes twinkled as he regarded Ben and Rey curiously. “I will be following your Hogwarts journey with great interest,” he said quietly before meeting Leia’s gaze, silently asking to be kept informed. “After all I think that it is clear that we can expect great things from you both.”

Ben and Rey managed to avoid each other’s eyes as they silently paid seven Galleons for their wands before Lor San Tekka bowed them from his shop.

* * *

Han frowned as he glanced down at his wristwatch and looked up at Leia. “We’d best split up if we want to finish buying the school supplies before nightfall. How about I take the kids to get fitted for their robes and you and Mara can buy their spellbooks and potion ingredients?” Leia nodded in agreement and the group parted, quickly promising to meet back up at the Leaky Cauldron once they had completed their errands and Rey found herself ushered along to Madam Kalonia’s Robes For All Occasions. The owner greeted them with a welcoming smile and beckoned Rey and Ben into the back of the shop where a pale, red-headed boy was also getting fitted for robes. He seemed to wear a permanent sneer on his face and currently seemed to be berating the assistant for not performing her task quickly enough. He raised his head to assess the newcomers, his cold eyes narrowed in suspicion and Rey felt a chill running up her spine as she instinctively stepped closer towards Ben in an attempt to put more distance between her and the strange boy who seemed to be carved from a pillar of ice.

“Hello,” said the boy and his lip curled in distaste as his eyes raked over Ben and Rey, a flush of embarrassment stealing over Rey’s cheeks as he took in her second-hand, ill-fitting clothing. “Hogwarts too?”

Rey nodded mutely and the boy silently watched Ben extend his hand to Rey to help her up onto the footstool before doing the same. Another assistant appeared to help with the rush and Rey found her measurements being quickly taken before being poked and prodded as a set of plain, black robes were thrown over her head and quickly pinned into place. “Armitage Hux,” the boy drawled and he yelped in surprise as the assistant accidentally pricked him with a pin while adjusting the robes to fit his lanky frame. However, as Hux looked down his nose at the assistant he obviously thought was beneath his station, Rey was not at all sure if the gesture had been accidental after all. “Who are you?”

Ben introduced himself with a quiet mumble and Rey could tell that he did not feel at all comfortable with the cold, haughty boy who seemed to lack any common form of decency. “Rey Kenobi.”

Hux’s eyes glittered dangerously at this new information. “Well, well, well,” he said softly and a cruel smirk seemed to pull at his mouth. “The Headmistress’ son and the granddaughter of Ben Kenobi himself.” Rey could feel Ben tense at her side, his fingers curling into fists. She turned her face slightly to catch Ben’s eye and she shook her head minutely. “How strange that you both appear to be friends.” Hux laughed and the hair on the back of Rey’s neck rose at the high, cold laugh that echoed with cruelty and malice. “Tell me, Ben, how did you convince her to become friends with you given your family’s deep, dark history with Ben Kenobi?”

Rey frowned as she turned to look at Ben who was trembling with barely restrained fury, glaring daggers at Hux and was it her imagination or was Ben unable to meet her eyes? “What’s he talking about, Ben?”

“You mean she doesn’t know?” Hux appeared absolutely delighted with this new information and Ben looked as though he was resisting the urge to fly across the room and drive his fist into Hux’s sneering face. When the assistant proclaimed Hux finished, he tore his gaze away from Ben and Rey with great difficulty and glared down at the assistant. “About time too!” With one final look that spoke of malicious delight, he stepped down from the stool. “See you at school.”

Ben’s face was ashen as his dark gaze followed Hux’s retreating back from the room. “A Slytherin if ever I saw one,” he muttered darkly.

“What did he mean about my grandfather?”

Ben shifted uncomfortably but was saved from answering Rey’s question when Han entered the back room, his lips turned down in a frown. “What was that all about?” His frown deepened as Rey relayed their brief interaction with Hux and Han swore colourfully. “That smug little bugger,” he growled and Madam Kalonia clucked her tongue in disapproval. Han chose to ignore her. “I should have cursed his nose off when I had the chance.”

Rey’s mind spun and she stared at Han, chewing on her lip and her fingers twisting the hem of her sweater as she began to piece together everything that Hux had said. “Han… Did something bad happen between your family and my grandfather?”

Han exhaled shakily and he ran a nervous hand through his hair, unintentionally tousling the strands into disarray. Rey sucked in a breath as she was reminded so much of Ben in that moment; she could almost picture him a carbon copy of his father as he matured into adulthood. “I promise we won’t keep anything from you,” he began slowly and Rey was relieved when Han at least did not look away. “But not here, kid. I know Leia was planning to invite you for dinner so we will tell you everything then.”

Thirty minutes later and their arms laden with dozens of soft packages, Han, Rey and Ben finally exited Madam Kalonia’s. She had the distinct impression that the proprietor was relieved to see them leave as the door closed with a muffled thud, the ringing finality just teetering on the brink of rudeness. Rey adjusted the haphazard parcels in her arms; Hux’s obvious distate at her threadbare clothes had rattled her more than she cared to admit and she had quietly asked Madam Kalonia if she could help her pick out some suitable Muggle clothing to which the owner had clearly enjoyed with a little too much overzealousness. Leia and Mara were already waiting outside the Leaky Cauldron as Han, Rey and Ben trudged through the emptying streets of Diagon Alley as dusk began to fall and Rey chewed her lip as she realised that the older women carried only their owls, the rest of their packages nowhere in sight.

“We sent everything ahead,” said Mara with a small smile, having guessed the source of Rey’s confusion.

Leia, however, was studying Han closely, her face white and her gaze intense as she searched her husband’s eyes and Rey had the curious feeling that they were communicating silently. Leia sighed heavily, nodding as she turned to Rey and it seemed that the Headmistress had aged ten years in the space of just a few minutes. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured and her eyes shone with sorrow as she swallowed thickly. “We should have been honest with you about your grandfather from the start, Rey, but after bearing ill news of your family, we could not find it in our hearts to tell you. Would you like to join us for dinner? I promise that we will tell you everything that you need to know and I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive us.”


	4. The Great Wizarding War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When she had accepted Leia’s invitation to join them for dinner, Rey had not imagined in her wildest dreams that the Headmistress had meant quite literally. Instead of the dark, shabby interior of the Leaky Cauldron that she had expected, Rey gaped as she stared up at the two-storey manor, her fingers twisting nervously in the hem of her sweater as she took in the family home of the Organa-Solos. Despite having spent an entire day in their company, Rey suddenly felt apprehensive; growing up in foster care had given her very little in the way of luxuries and she had certainly lacked for love and affection and had gone to bed more often than not with hunger pangs gnawing at her belly. It seemed that Ben, on the other hand, had lived a very sheltered childhood surrounded by family and had never wanted for anything.

She was worried that she would embarrass herself, or that Han and Leia would frown upon her lack of etiquette and table manners and ship her back to Plutt’s before she could blink. But then Ben had grabbed her hand, his eyes wild with excitement as he offered to show Rey his bedroom and they almost did not hear Leia calling to remind the children that dinner would be ready in half an hour as they rushed up the staircase locked in a childish race and shrieking with laughter.

Rey finally took her place at the dining table out of breath, her chest heaving from the exertion of exploring the rest of the house with Ben and hearing all about the ghoul that lived in their attic and the boggart that had taken up residence in the wardrobe in the master bedroom. She promptly forgot all about her fear that Han and Leia would not approve of her table manners when she saw the mouth-watering feast that lay before her. A beautifully bronzed chicken sat proudly in the centre of the table surrounded by buttery mashed potatoes, perfectly seasoned greens, succulent chipolata sausages and for some peculiar reason, mint humbugs and Rey had looked up at Leia in confusion when she was prompted to help herself. She had almost missed the concerned glance that had passed between Han and Leia when she had asked “You mean, I can have anything I want?”

“Rey,” said Leia quietly and Rey was confused to see Han at the head of the dinner table trembling with rage, the hands that were holding his cutlery almost white from the tight grip on his utensils. “Has your guardian ever withheld food from you?”  
  
Rey hesitated before answering Leia’s question, but to Han her silenced seemed to be the only response he needed before he reached for Rey’s plate and started piling it high with food. Leia watched Rey quietly while she ate and if she was offended by Rey’s lack of table manners she did not comment. When the last morsels of food had been cleared from their plates, Leia asked Ben if he could let the owls out for the night before turning to Rey. “Han and I would like to ask you something, Rey, but before we do, we promised that we would tell you about your grandfather.”  
  
Satisfied, sleepy and her belly full, Leia’s words were like a bucket of ice that had been dumped over her head and Rey felt nausea bubble up in her throat as she recalled Hux’s words from earlier:

_“Tell me, Ben, how did you convince her to become friends with you given your family’s deep, dark history with Ben Kenobi?”_

“First, and understand this, Rey, because it’s very important. Not all wizards are good. Before you were born, a dark Wizard who had named himself Emperor Palpatine had risen to power and had started gathering followers, intent on overthrowing the Ministry for Magic itself.”

Despite the dread in her stomach winding her insides tighter than a knot, Rey was fascinated by this new tidbit of information that she had picked up about the wizarding World. “There’s a Ministry of Magic?”

Leia nodded. “The Ministry of Magic is an organisation – very similar to the Muggle government – who are charged with the preservation of magical Law.”

“What you must also understand, Rey,” said Han quietly and his usually upbeat, cheerful demeanour was gone, “Is that there are three Unforgiveable Curses and the use of any single one of them will earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban. A wizarding prison,” he added at Rey’s look of confusion. “They were dark times. Anyone that stood up against Palpatine ended up dead. “Your grandfather fought against him…”

He trailed off before taking his wife’s hand with a gentle squeeze before Leia continued: “Palpatine’s followers called themselves Death Eaters and considered themselves unstoppable. The freely used the Unforgiveable Curses on anyone that stood in their way be it man, woman or child. They often used the Imperius Curse to control witches or wizards and coerce them into doing their bidding; only a person with exceptional strength of will can resist it. Death Eaters often targeted important people who worked for the Ministry of Magic, including my father, Anakin Skywalker, who was an Auror tasked with catching dark wizards.

“At the time of Palpatine’s rise to power, your grandfather was Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He also founded the Order of the Phoenix: a group of talented young witches and wizards dedicated to stopping Palpatine. That’s how Han and I met. Your grandfather was considered to be one of the most powerful wizards of our time and it was rumoured that Palpatine feared him. The Ministry begged your grandfather to intervene and put an end to the Wizarding War but under the control of the Imperius Curse, Palpatine used my father to cast the Killing Curse on Ben Kenobi.”

Leia’s words sent a chill through her body that seemed to permeate down to her very bones. The edges of the gaping wound that had been carved in her heart from the news of her family’s death and had just begun to start knitting back together were suddenly torn asunder and she gasped for breath. Through the tears that threatened to overwhelm her, she could just make out Han and Leia’s identical looks of sympathy but she shook her head when Leia reached out to offer comfort. “And my parents?”

Han hesitated. “After your grandfather died, your parents fled in order to protect you. They decided that the wizarding world was no longer safe and placed you in a Muggle orphanage with the intention of returning for you when the War was over, but we fear that the Death Eaters caught up with them.”

“What happened to him?” she asked Leia at length, her voice thick with barely suppressed emotion as she gulped in lungfuls of air and tried to stop the tremors that were coursing through her body. “To your father, I mean.”

“When Ben Kenobi fell, Anakin was able to finally fight off the Imperius Curse. He was wracked with guilt over what he had been forced to do; your grandfather had been a mentor to my father in the early stages of his Auror career and he swore never to rest until Palpatine was destroyed. My brother Luke had followed in our father’s footsteps as an Auror and with his help, together they managed to overthrow Palpatine’s regime and afterwards my father turned himself in. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban.”

Rey smiled weakly up at Leia. “I’m glad that you told me, I don’t think that I could have handled finding out from another student at Hogwarts,” she said finally, thinking about Hux and how he would have taken sick, twisted pleasure at having been the one to tell Rey of her family’s history with the Skywalkers, their pasts tangled together in the darkest realms of history that the wizarding world had ever faced.

“Do you hold it against us, kid?” asked Han and the relief that washed over his face was tangible as Rey shook her head and Han leaned across the table to ruffle Rey’s hair affectionately which earned him a watery laugh.

“No,” she murmured and Leia smiled through her tears as she rested her hand on top of Rey’s, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. “You were not responsible for your father’s actions. Palpatine killed my grandfather, not Anakin Skywalker.”

When Ben re-joined them at the table, Leia pressed a steaming hot cup of cocoa into her hands – another first for Rey – and she had savoured every sip of the cinnamon, nutmeg and clove laced chocolate drink, finding that the warm beverage helped to chase away the remaining chill that lingered in her bones from Han and Leia’s earlier story.

“Do you remember that we wanted to ask you something earlier, Rey?” said Leia gently and she nodded, feeling pleasantly warm and sleepy and although she knew that it was getting late, dreading returning to Plutt’s, Rey resisted the urge to glance at the clock in the kitchen. It was a most unusual clock even by wizarding standards: instead of numbers, various phrases lined the edges of the clock including ‘home, school and mortal peril’ and instead of two hands there were five in total, each depicting a member of the extended Organa-Solo-Skywalker family. Currently, they were all pointed at ‘home’. “We wanted to give you a choice, Rey,” Leia continued, “If you say the word, we will return you to the Muggle world and to your foster father until the new term begins on September 1. Alternatively, Luke and Mara have opened up their home to you and would be delighted if you would spend the rest of the Summer there and return for every Summer and Christmas break thereafter, if that is what you want.”

All traces of tiredness erased from her body, Rey’s gaze wandered from Han to Leia, her mouth slightly ajar as she replayed Leia’s words in her head to make sure that she had understood them correctly. There was no hint of deceit or trickery in Leia’s eyes and Rey was forced to admit that the Headmistress was telling the truth. “Live with Luke and Mara?” she squeaked and Leia frowned, sensing that Rey was overwhelmed.

“If you want to continue living with your foster father, we will of course respect your decision –“

Rey shook her head but she was smiling through her tears. “You mean I can finally leave Plutt? I won’t ever have to spend another day in foster care?”

“You really think we were going to send you back there, kid?” said Han with a wide grin. “You belong in the wizarding world. Plus, it would be good for Ben to be around kids his own age for a change and you two seem to have hit it off.”

“What about my stuff? It’s still at Plutt’s.”

Leia glanced at Han and they shared a conspiratorial smile. “While Han, Mara and I were busy buying your school supplies, Luke collected your belongings from your foster father’s home and left Plutt an enchanted note to inform him that you had received a prestigious scholarship to a boarding school and would not be returning. Luke and Mara should be preparing your room for you as we speak.”

The tears that she now shed were tears of gratitude and happiness and Rey laughed as she glanced at Ben, seeing the same excitement in her eyes reflected back at her at the knowledge that they would be spending the rest of the Summer holidays together before they started Hogwarts in September. She drained the last of her cocoa and Rey was comforted in the knowledge that she would never again be passed around from foster home to foster home like unwanted rubbish. For the first time in her life, she finally had a family to call her own.

* * *

Rey seemed to settle into living with the Skywalkers as if she had been a part of their family from the very beginning. For the first time in her life, Rey woke up safe in her own bed, surrounded by a family who very much cared for her safety and well-being and she never had to worry about where her next meal was coming from. Han and Leia had obviously informed Luke and Mara of Rey’s insecurities with food and they always made sure that there were extra helpings available at every meal. And if there was any indication that Rey seemed to be eating them out of house and home given her seemingly insatiable appetite, they never once complained. During the frequent times that she would join the Organa-Solo household for dinner or when Ben was a visitor at Luke and Mara’s, she would make sure to slip him her extra helping of vegetables and in exchange, he would gladly surrender his dessert. Despite their firm friendship, she would never understand how Ben did not like chocolate cake.

Life with Luke and Mara was never boring: she very quickly discovered mere days after being sent to live with them that Luke had retired from being an Auror after the events of the Great Wizarding War. He had gone on to accept the role of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor shortly after Leia was offered the position of Headmistress following the death of Ben Kenobi’s successor. When she was not with Ben, Rey had shyly approached Luke and Mara for their help on where to begin learning about magic. To her delight, her guardians had patiently sat down with her at the dining table, the surface hidden by the numerous spellbooks that covered it, and began to help her understand the theory behind the basic spells and supervised her very first attempts at casting magic. The first time she accidentally set the fruit bowl on fire while attempting to cast _lumos,_ she had almost cried at the thought of Luke and Mara being disappointed with her but to her surprise, neither of them had batted an eyelid and Luke had doused the fire with a flick of his wand before encouraging her to try again.

The best days, however, were undoubtedly the ones that she got to spend with Ben. The first day that Leia had been called to the school for ‘Hogwarts business’, under Han’s watchful eye, Ben had taught Rey how to ride her first broomstick. The first time that she had tentatively soared over the treetops on Ben’s Nimbus 2000 with Han and Ben’s cheers from the ground ringing in her ears, a rush of fierce joy had swept through her at the feel of the wind in her hair and she finally understood Ben’s upset at not being allowed their own broom during their first year at Hogwarts. Red-cheeked and breathless with excitement, Rey had been perfectly content to watch father and son demonstrate a game of Quidditch and as Han took to the skies on his Comet Two Ninety, she had laughed until her belly ached at the good-natured rivalry between them as they played. When Ben and Han had landed, his arm thrown over his son’s shoulders as they laughed together, Han had promised Rey that if she did not mention a word of her flying lessons to Leia who would definitely not approve, he would gladly teach her how to play Quidditch.

The remainder of their summer holidays was spent with Han and Ben watching Galaxy Wars marathons or with Leia while Rey showed the Headmistress how to bake the most delicious chocolate chip cookies. Unfortunately, the fruits of her labour never lasted long as Ben and Han would always help themselves when her back was turned. On the rare occasion that Ben and Rey were able to sleepover at the other’s house, they often found themselves sprawled out on the floor together listening to Ben’s iPod and reading their spellbooks or Ben’s copies of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Quidditch Through the Ages_ or _The Lord of the Rings._ And if during the night when Rey found her way to Ben’s room, both children curled around the other in their sleep and their legs tangled hopelessly together, neither Luke and Mara nor Han and Leia ever seemed to comment.


	5. Platform 9 3/4

The morning of September 1 dawned bright and cold and Rey was awake long before the sun had risen, too eager to sleep and filled with too much excitement at the prospect of finally attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Mara had coaxed her into eating a little breakfast, gently reminding Rey that her journey on the Hogwarts Express would be long and she would not reach the Castle until long after night had fallen. At Mara’s insistence, Rey had double checked the contents of her trunk and made sure that Kira was locked away safely in her cage, Mara promising to send their owl Artoo on ahead with anything that she may have forgotten at home. Rey was unable to sit still, practically bouncing with excitement by the time Han and Ben came to collect them in the Ford Falcon, Luke and Leia having already gone on ahead to prepare for the new term.

Han helped her load her trunk into the Falcon and she frowned at how easily it was able to fit in the boot – “undetectable extension charm,” Han told her with a wink before pressing a finger to his lips conspiratorially. “Don’t tell Leia though, she hates it when I tinker with the car. Still hasn’t forgiven me and Chewie for trying to make it fly.” Rey joined Ben in the back seat, turning to grin at her best friend. She knew that he was nervous; could tell from his ashen face and pained expression but he managed a small smile in her direction when she reached between them to squeeze his hand reassuringly. He seemed grateful when Rey took the lead on their conversation, her excited chatter meaning that answers were not often required or even necessary on his part.

Despite the usual London traffic which left Han in a bad mood, they reached London King’s Cross Station with thirty minutes to spare before the Hogwarts Express was due to depart. Han helped the children load their trunks and their owls onto luggage trollies and led the way through the tightly paced crowd. Rey frowned as they approached Platforms 9 and 10, glancing around for the Hogwarts Express, her confusion tangible and Han clapped a hand on her shoulder with a small chuckle. “Have to keep it hidden from the Muggles,” he explained gently and indicated the dividing barrier between the platforms. “To reach Platform 9 ¾, all you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Don’t stop and don’t be scared that you’ll crash into it, that’s very important. I’ll go through first with Ben and then you and Mara can follow along afterwards.” He slung an arm around his son’s shoulders and Ben swallowed nervously. “Ready, kid? Together?”

Rey held her breath as Ben and Han broke into a run and she wanted to shut her eyes at the prospect of Ben’s heavily laden luggage trolley colliding with the barrier. But the almighty crash that she was expecting never came; between one blink and the next, the Solos had vanished without a trace. She glanced up at Mara who smiled encouragingly but before they could follow suit, they were approached by a black-haired boy around Rey’s age wearing scruffy, threadbare clothing and from his expression, it was evident that he too had watched Han and Ben disappear before his very eyes. 

“Excuse me. Could you tell me how to get to Platform 9 ¾?”

Mara smiled kindly at the boy and Rey’s heart clenched in sympathy as she noted that no one had come with him. He was obviously alone, looking lost and confused and Rey realised all too late that he too was most likely a product of the system just like she had been. “First time at Hogwarts?” Mara asked gently, “Rey’s new too.” He listened to Mara’s instructions carefully and Rey could tell that the boy was absolutely terrified. “Best do it at a bit of a run if you’re nervous.” 

The boy screwed his eyes shut and ran towards the barrier with Rey and Mara following closely behind and moments later they disappeared through the barrier and Rey gasped as she finally found herself on Platform 9 ¾, the crimson steam engine of the Hogwarts Express bellowing smoke and ready to carry them all on their journey north. Rey glanced over her shoulder; the barrier that she had expected to see had disappeared, replaced by a wrought iron gateway. Despite the hustle and bustle of parents saying goodbye to their children, Han and Ben managed to push themselves through the throng and approached Mara and Rey, having already deposited Ben’s luggage in an empty carriage. They glanced curiously at the boy by their side before Han extended a hand to the newcomer. “The name’s Han and this is my boy, Ben. I see you’ve already met Mara and Rey.”

“Finn,” the boy replied as he grasped Han’s proffered hand.

Han jerked his head towards the train. “Let’s get your trunks on board.” Between the three men, they managed to heave Rey and Finn’s luggage into the empty carriage alongside Ben’s and Han mopped the sweat from his brow. “Getting too old for this,” he grumbled good naturedly as Ben and Rey joined the adults on the platform once more to say their goodbyes. Finn elected to remain behind, mumbling about keeping an eye on their luggage and Rey cast him a sympathetic glance, knowing full well that she would most likely be in Finn’s situation right now had Luke and Mara not offered up their home to her.

Rey could tell that Mara was trying to fight back her tears when she enveloped Rey into a warm hug before pressing a kiss into her hair. “We can’t wait to have you spend Christmas with us. Going to miss having you around,” she said thickly, “I know you’ll be busy at first with classes and finding your feet, but promise me you’ll find the time to write.”

Ben’s lower lip trembled as he parted from Han to say goodbye to Mara and Rey attempted to swallow around the lump of emotion lodged in her throat as she glanced up at Han through the haze of tears that blinded her vision. “Look out for one another,” he said gruffly as he caught her in a one-armed embrace. “And for Merlin’s sake don’t get yourselves into any of the same messes that Lando, Chewie and I found ourselves in. You’ll be meeting them both soon enough – make sure you tell them that I said ‘hi.’”

As eleven o’clock struck, Ben and Rey leaned out of the carriage windows to wave goodbye at Han and Mara and as the train began to pick up speed and rounded the corner, both of them vanished out of sight.

While Ben turned away from them to covertly scrub at his tear-stained cheeks, Finn and Rey smiled awkwardly at one-another. “Thanks for helping me out back there,” said Finn scratching at the back of his neck as he fought down a blush. “Chewie made sure I got to London King’s Cross safely but may have forgotten to tell me how to get onto the platform. Not gonna lie I was really starting to panic.”

“Chewie is one of the Professors at Hogwarts, isn’t he? I haven’t met him yet,” she replied to Finn before turning to Ben. “Your dad has mentioned him a couple of times.”

Ben nodded. “My dad and Chewie go way back; they met Lando in their first year of Hogwarts and the three of them have been pretty much inseparable ever since. They’re both like uncles to me. You’ll meet them both sooner or later: Lando is the Flying instructor and Quidditch referee while Chewie is the Keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts and was recently offered the role of Care of Magical Creatures Professor.”

  
  
“Chewie absolutely terrified me when he showed up with my Hogwarts letter,” said Finn with a laugh. “He’s massive!”

“My dad swears that he is half-giant,” Ben replied grinning. “Best not let him hear you say that.”

  
  
“Are you Muggleborn?” asked Rey tentatively, not wanting to upset her new friend.

Thankfully, Finn did not seem to take offence at her question, or else realised that there was no veiled malicious intent behind Rey’s words and he simply shrugged. “To be honest, I’m not sure; I never knew my parents so for all I know, I could be. I have so much to learn.”

Rey smiled in sympathy. “My parents were wizards but they died when I was very young, so I was raised by Muggles. I had never heard of Hogwarts until I received my letter and at first, I thought that my foster father was playing a practical joke. I’ve learned bits and pieces from staying with Ben’s family over the summer, but when it comes to actually learning magic you’ll find that you will be no better or worse than everyone else.” For the first time since meeting him, Finn responded with a genuine smile and Rey could see the faint glimmer of hope in his eyes that he had finally allowed himself to feel.

Ben was halfway through explaining the rules of Quidditch to Finn when the carriage door slid open and a plump, cheerful witch pushing a heavily laden trolley filled with chocolate, sweets and pastries smiled kindly at the trio. “Anything from the trolley, dears?” Despite the tell-tale grumble from Finn’s stomach, he mumbled something inaudible and turned his head away in embarrassment. Her heart clenched in sympathy as she immediately understood the nature of Finn’s predicament.

She met Ben’s eyes and jerked her head towards the trolley, “Come and give me a hand, I have no idea what half of this stuff is.” Between the two children, they returned to the carriage with an armful of Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands, Droobles Best Blowing Gum and three large flagons of Pumpkin Juice to wash it all down with. In spite of himself, Finn watched with mild interest as Ben and Rey lay their haul down on top of the two long bench seats that lined either side of the carriage and his mouth opened and closed wordlessly as Rey indicated for him to help himself. “Ben’s already tried most of this already. I need someone else to share this experience with.”

While Rey helped herself to a Chocolate Frog, she was startled when the sweet literally _wriggled_ in the palm of her hand. Ben laughed at her discomfort before putting her out of her misery and whispering in her ear that it was just a spell and not a real frog. Still, she hesitated only briefly before biting its head off. Finn winced before choosing a box of Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans and examining them with apprehension. “These won’t come alive, will they?” he asked Ben nervously.

Ben shook his head. “No, but when they say ‘every flavour’ they mean every flavour. You can bite into one and find that you’re tasting wallpaper paste. My Uncle Lando swears that he got a vomit flavoured one once, but I still swear that he was pulling my leg.” He watched as Finn gingerly bit into one of the beans, chewing carefully and swallowing with a grimace. “What did you get?”

“I’m not sure, but it tasted a lot like smelly socks,” he replied before taking a long draught of Pumpkin Juice.

“What card did you get?” Ben asked Rey while reaching for a Chocolate Frog, not even flinching as he bit into the sweet.

“Card?”

  
  
“Each Chocolate Frog comes with a famous witch or wizard card,” he explained, holding up his own Merlin card for her perusal and Rey blinked in surprise as he rolled his eyes at her and vanished. “Some people collect them, you can have mine if you want.”

Rey coughed on her mouthful of juice and Ben thumped her helpfully on the back, the smirk sliding from his face when she held up her card with trembling fingers. _Ben Kenobi._ “I’m sorry, Rey,” he said quietly and rubbed her back soothingly with gentle fingers while Rey wiped the tears from her eyes that had gathered there after looking upon the face of her grandfather for the very first time. She smiled through her tears as Ben Kenobi greeted her with a smile and a wave and she was glad that her grandfather, in his own way, was there with her as she took her very first steps on the start of her Hogwarts journey.

* * *

As the day began to fade into the soft shadows of twilight and the rain began to fall as they continued their journey further north, they were joined by Poe Dameron, a fellow first year like themselves who seemed to have made it his personal mission to greet every single student on board the Hogwarts Express. The boy was already clad in his new robes, his school uniform peeking through the soft, black fabric that fell in gentle waves to his ankles. He grinned at the occupants of the carriage as he opened the door, his white teeth a stark contrast to his olive skin and dark, wavy hair. “Name’s Poe,” he said cheerfully, reaching over to shake everyone’s hand and Finn seemed a little awestruck by their newest companion and blushed a little while introducing himself.

“What house are you hoping to get Sorted into?” asked Finn as Poe helped himself to a Chocolate Frog from the dwindling pile.

“Gryffindor,” he replied as he tossed the sweet into the air and deftly caught it in his mouth. “Where dwell the brave of heart! What about you guys?”

“Gryffindor would be cool,” Finn mumbled, the tips of his ears pink.

“Ravenclaw,” said Ben.

“I really hope I’ll be in Ravenclaw with Ben,” replied Rey. “Do you know how we are Sorted? Ben’s dad said that we have to pull a rabbit out of a hat but I think he was joking.”

Ben snickered. “It’s nothing like that, I swear. Mum made me promise not to spoil it, but you won’t be asked to perform any magic so you don’t need to worry. We had better get changed into our robes, I expect we’ll be arriving soon.”

There was a cacophony of soft hoots and the scraping of trunks as Finn, Rey and Ben rummaged in their luggage and donned their robes and barely minutes later, a voice echoed through the train to announce their arrival. Leaving their luggage behind as instructed, the children stepped out into the night, shivering slightly from the chill and dampness in the air. The soft glow of a lamp illuminated the faces of the students who lined the platform and Rey’s gasped as the largest man that she had ever seen came into view, towering over the heads of even the tallest students, with black, beetle-like eyes hidden behind a mane of dark hair and a thick, bushy beard.

“First years! First years over here!” His eyes crinkled as the four children approached him, allowing themselves to be carried along by the current of students heading towards the carriages that did not seem to be tethered to any horse that she could see. When the large man greeted Ben with an enthusiastic, one-armed hug that swept him clean off of his feet and clapped Finn on the shoulder, Rey realised that this could only be Chewie. “You must be Rey!” he boomed. “Luke and Leia have told me so much about you.”

When the rest of the first-year students had gathered under the light from the lantern, Chewie beckoned the nervous children to follow him and advised them to watch their step as he led the children down a steep, narrow path and Rey found herself gripping the sleeve of Ben’s robes tightly to prevent herself from slipping on the wet ground. They arrived on the shores of a black lake where a small fleet of boats awaited them but Chewie did not immediately direct the students into the boats, instead pausing to point to a structure in the far distance. Rey gasped, immediately forgetting the cold that seemed to penetrate to her bones and the rain that plastered her hair to her face as the sleeping towers and spires of Hogwarts Castle were illuminated in the soft glow of moonlight. As Chewie instructed the children to climb into the boats in groups of four, Ben grasped Rey’s hand gently to help steady her as she slipped a little on the wet ground and stumbled into the boat already occupied by Finn and Poe.

“Everyone in?” Chewie called over his shoulder and Rey noted that he occupied an entire boat to himself given his large frame. “Forward!”

The boats moved of their own accord and although there were no oars to steer with, the boats did not seem to require any input from their occupants as they glided silently over the seemingly endless body of water. Their journey was guided only by the light of the stars and by the soft flame of the lantern that Chewie bore aloft as he took point. Rey was barely aware of the dark surface of the water around her that shone like obsidian or the Giant Squid drifting lazily alongside the fleet, unable to take her eyes off of the school as it drew closer, her eyes reflecting the thousands of windows flickering with candlelight. Tears pricked her eyes, her breath catching in her throat and Rey knew that she had never seen a more beautiful sight in her entire life.

She was finally home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out - now that restrictions are lifting (and unfortunately being put back down) my free time is pretty limited.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are very much appreciated! You can also find me here on [Tumblr](http://telcontarian.tumblr.com)


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